pop radio hosted by Joel Denver called Future Hits. So Norm Pattiz asked his staff to create a Country Future Hits. The show, also produced by CCUSA producer George Achaves, was named Country's Cutting Edge, and it debuted in 1993. The first host was Brad Chambers, program director of the influential Dallas station KPLX. That same year, Lon Helton suggested to Norm that some highlights from CCUSA could be turned into a daily 90-second show. That show was named Country's Inside Trak, and was launched as a companion to the weekly show. Over the years, Lon Helton hosted numerous country specials for Westwood One. Country Takes Manhattan was a week-long live concert series broadcast live from venues in New York. The Country Freedom Concert was a live simulcast of the CMT concert special which raised funds for victims of 9–11. In 2002 the show was renamed CMT's Country Countdown USA, as part of the newly launched collaboration with CMT. When Radio & Records was merged into Billboard in 2006, CMT's Country Countdown USA continued using the Mediabase 24/7 chart, which is also used by Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. Concurrently, in August 2006 Lon exited Radio & Records to launch his own Country trade publication, Country Aircheck. Jingles When Country Countdown USA debuted, the show used a custom jingle package from Jam Creative Productions in Dallas, which included chart number jingles that segued between songs on the show. 2 chart number jingles were used each hour. After the relaunch as CMT's Country Countdown USA in 2002, the show switched from Jam to TM Studios. The chart number jingles were officially removed in 2001. The show switched from TM Studios to RadioScape in 2013, and switched the show back to its original Country Countdown USA branding. Country Countdown USA continues to use RadioScape to this very day. Awards CCUSA host Lon Helton was named the National Air Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association in 2002 and 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021. He won the same award from the Academy of Country Music in 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. In 2006, Lon was inducted into the Country DJ Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. References http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1677943/cmts-cody-alan-lon-helton-nominated-for-acm-on-air-radio-personality-of-the-year.jhtml External links Country Countdown USA Country Aircheck American record charts Music chart shows American country music radio programs